AUBURN, Alabama -- Teammates love to refer to groups rather than a single player when they are asked to pinpoint a consistent performer during their time together working on the practice fields in the summer sun.

It's no different at Auburn, especially with its receivers, but coach Gus Malzahn will tell you he'd like to talk more and more about one receiver rather than continuing to group the dozen or so together in one broad generalization by the time the season arrives Aug. 31.

"We've got to have somebody step up and be the go-to guy," Malzahn told local beat reporters last week at SEC Media Days. "Want the ball, third down, want the ball when the game’s on the line. In the spring, we tried to put them in as many situations as we can, and at times, all guys responded, but somebody’s got to emerge, and coach (Dameyune) Craig has stressed that to his players.”

Several players return as steady backups and role players last season, including Quan Bray, Sammie Coates, Jaylon Denson, Ricardo Louis and Trovon Reed. Whether one of those five or a newcomer step up and become that go-to guy remains to be seen. Still, there's some sense of finality with the coaching staff's expectations.

"Let’s be honest," said offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, "we need Sammie Coates, we need Jaylon Denson and Ricardo and those guys to step up and start making plays. Ricardo and Sammie are younger but it’s time to step up. Then you've got Jaylon, Quan, Trovon that have been here. They’re all going to be juniors and it’s time for them to step up and start making plays, too."

Denson appears to be the Tigers' most reliable receiver as they prepare for August drills. Some may consider it a surprise considering he has more tackles on special teams (two) than catches (one) in his career. Reed, a flanker, is the team's leading returning receiver (nine catches, 122 yards, 1 TD) on a team that loses three of its top four pass catchers from last season.

Auburn needs nine to 10 receivers to feel comfortable with the rotation, especially when fresh bodies are a necessity to run the hurry-up, no-huddle system, Lashlee said. Fourteen receivers are listed on the pre-season roster, so there's no room for error or injuries among the starting group, but they do have some options and moving parts. For example: running back Corey Grant enters fall camp as Bray's backup in the slot.

Auburn receiver Sammie Coates (18) can't catch up to an overthrown pass against New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

"But then you look at a guy like a Brandon Fulse, a C.J. Uzomah," Lashlee said of the tight ends. "Those are guys that are really talented enough to split out and kind of live in both worlds a little bit."

The Tigers will get help from three newcomers at receiver -- Marcus Davis, Tony Stevens and Dominic Walker. Earnest Robinson of Pinson Valley did not make the grades, and neither did Jason Smith (McGill-Toolen), who could have played receiver this fall after signing on as a quarterback. Lashlee says the Tigers are strengthening their reserves on the recruiting trail for 2014. Auburn has offered 20 receivers this year and picked up a big commitment Sunday when five-star junior college star D'haquille Williams went public with the Tigers.

The early reviews on the newcomers are not very descriptive. The Tigers' "captain" workouts, which include some one-on-one work and play installations organized by team captains, are closed to coaches.

The first good sign: the three newcomers do not drop passes, cornerback Chris Davis said last week.

"They’ve been taught by the older guys and it’s definitely a high expectation, it’s high tempo out there and I feel they’re catching on pretty well," said cornerback Jonathon Mincy.

A go-to receiver seems to always develop in Malzahn's offense. Whether it was the sudden emergence of Darvin Adams (997 yards, 10 TDs) at Auburn in 2009 or freshman J.D. McKissic (1,022 yards, 5 TDs) at Arkansas State in 2012, a player usually steps up in this offense.

"But we’re going to need more than one guy making plays," Lashlee said. "Whoever that quarterback is, is going to need guys to -- every now and then -- make the wild plays, make some catches maybe you're not supposed to make to help them out. At the same time, we’d love for a couple of those guys to step up and become very consistent."